A multi-mode Rhein-based nano-platform synergizing ferrotherapy/chemotherapy-induced immunotherapy for enhanced tumor therapy

Abstract

Ferroptosis has emerged as a promising strategy for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) due to bypassing apoptosis and triggering immunogenic cell death (ICD) of tumor cells. However, the antitumor efficacy has been limited by the insufficient intracellular ferrous iron concentration required for ferroptosis and inadequate antitumor immune response. To address these limitations, we designed a multi-mode nano-platform (MP-FA@R-F NPs), which exhibited a synergistic effect of ferroptosis, apoptosis and induced immune response for enhanced antitumor therapy. MP-FA@R-F NPs target folate receptors, which are over-expressed on the tumor cell's surface to promote intracellular uptake. The cargoes, including Rhein and Fe₃O₄, would be released in intracellular acid, accelerating by NIR laser irradiation. The released Rhein induced apoptosis of tumor cells mediated by the caspase 3 signal pathway, while the released Fe₃O₄ triggered ferroptosis through the Fenton reaction and endowed the nanoplatform with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) capabilities. In addition, ferroptosis-dying tumor cells could release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) to promote T cell activation and infiltration for immune response and induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) for tumor immunotherapy. Together, MP-FA@R-F NPs represent a potential synergistic ferro-/chemo-/immuno-therapy strategy with MRI guidance for enhanced antitumor therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The massive strategies of cancer therapy based on ferroptosis have been emerging in recent years, which provided new insights into designing materials for cancer therapy. However, the antitumor efficacy of ferroptosis is still unsatisfactory, mainly due to insufficient intracellular pro-ferroptotic stimuli. In the current study, we designed a multi-mode nano-platform (MP-FA@R-F NPs), which represented a potential synergistic ferro-/chemo-/immuno-therapy strategy with MRI guidance for enhanced antitumor therapy.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; Ferroptosis; Immunogenic cell death; Photothermal therapy; Rhein.